Prefabricated combination door and door frame



Feb. 18, 1958 w. CFCUR-TZ PREFABRICATED COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR FRAME 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1955 INVENTOR W6: Cu 1' Z2 7 ATTORNEYS United States m PREFABRICATED COMBINATION DOOR DOOR FRAME William Calvin Curtz, Corvallis, Oreg.

Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,478 1 Claim. (C1. 20-11) The present invention relates to combined door and door frames, and more particularly to a prefabricated door and door frame construction.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a prefabricated combination door and door frame which can be set as a unit into a partition wall of standard frame construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described in which all necessary elements for the installation of the door and door frame in the partition wall are included with the door and door frame therefor, with the exception of the securing nails.

A further object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated combination door and door frame having means to permit the frame to fit either a plaster wall or a dry wall partition construction.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated door and door frame construction with means for automatically spacing it from the sub-flooring construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in r the following specification when read in the light of the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention partially installed in a partition wall.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of line 22 of Figure l, partly broken away, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-section similar to Figure 4, partly broken away, with the partition wall omitted.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 66 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal crosssection similar to Figure 6, showing the wedges cut off and the door in its open position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal plane of line 8-8 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the partition wall being omitted and the spacing gauge shown in its adjusted position.

Now referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates a plurality of floor joists formng a part of a building having a partition wall in which the prefabricated combination door and door frame, generally indicated at 11 and forming the subject matter of this invention, is to be installed.

A subflooring 12 is secured to the joist 10 by conventional means, and a sole plate 13, forming the bottom ,member of the partition wall, is secured to the subfloor 2,823,428 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 2 12. A series of studs 14 extend upwardly from the sole plate 13 to a top plate (not shown) to form a conventional partition wall frame. A pair of studs 15 are secured directly to a pair of the studs 14 and form the upright side portions of a doorway.

A doorway header 16 is secured between a pair of the studs 14' and rests on top of the studs 15 to form the top of the doorway. A pair of backing blocks 17 extend upwardly from the sole plate 13 in position to engage the outer surfaces of the pair of studs 14 next adjacent the doorway.

The above described construction is the conventional construction used in the building of a partition wall frame at the ingress and egress portion thereof, and has been described in order to illustrate the application of the combination door and door frame construction 11 to such awall.

Thecombined prefabricated door and door frame construction 11 includes an upright, elongated and substantially rectangular hinge jamb 1 8, and a similar keeper jamb 19 spaced from the hinge jamb 18 and parallel thereto, each of the jambs 18 and 19 being raboeted at 2% near the upper end thereof to receive a door frame header 21 which extends between the jambs 18 and 19 and is secured thereto by suitable means.

A temporary sill 22 having rabbeted ends 23 is secured to the lower end of jamb 18 and the lower end of jamb 19 to complete a rectangular framework. The tempo rary sill 22 is arcuately beveled as at 24 across each end thereof.

Each of the door jambs l3 and 19 and the door frame header 21 are grooved at 25. Adapter strips 26 provided along one side with tongues 27 are secured to the door jambs 18 and 19 and the door frame header 21 with the tongues 27 extending into the grooves 25. Each of the door jambs 18 and 19 are provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced off-set spacing gauges 225 which are pivotally secured by means of an oif-set pivot pin 29 to the outer faces of the door jambs 18 and 19 adjacent the edges thereof opposite the adapter strip 26.

Each of the door jambs 18 and 19 and the door frame header 21 are provided with a door stop molding 30 which extends along the inner faces of these members in spaced parallel relation to the edges thereof. A series of wedges 31 are secured to the outer faces of the door jambs 1S and 19 and companion wedges 32 are adapted to be driven between the wedges 31 and the studs 15 to align and support the door frame 11.

A door 33 is mounted in the door frame 11 by means of hinges 34 secured to the butt edge of the door 33 and the hinge jamb 18. The door 33 is spaced apart for clearance from the door frame header 21, the temporary sill 22, and the keeper jamb 19. The conventional latching mechanism (not shown) is adapted to engage a keeper (not shown) mounted on the keeper jamb and may be operated by means of knob 35 in a conventional manner.

The door 33 is held against movement in the frame 11 by means of a shipping strip 36 which is the same thickness as the normal clearance between the door 33 and the jamb 19. A top shipping strip 37 is positioned between the top edge of the door 33 and the door frame header 21, and a bottom shipping strip 38 is positioned between the bottom edge of the door 33 and the temporary sill 22 in the same manner as shipping strip 36.

The temporary sill 22 is routed out at 39 and id to provide clearance for the removal of the temporary sill 22 after the door frame 11 has been installed, in a manner to be described.

The prefabricated combination door and door frame, along with wedges 32, are shipped to the building site. The door frame 11 is positioned in the doorway formed by studs 15 and frame header 16 in a partition wall, with i the temporary sill 22 resting upon the subfloor, automatically spacing the door jambs 18 and 19 sufiiciently above the subfioor 12 to permit the installation of the finished floor (not shown) under the lower edgesof the 'door jambs 18 and 19. Y

Wedges 32 are then inserted between the studs 15 and the wedges 31 to align the door frame 11 with the doorway of the partition and the door jambs are then secured to the studs 15 in any normal manner. The spacing gauges 28 are engaged with the edge faces of the studs 15 to center the door frame 11 with relation to the doorway. After securing the frame 11 to the studs 15, the wedges 31 and 32 are cut 01f flush with the surface of the studs 15 and the spacing gauges 28 are removed.

In the position of the gauges shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, the spacing gauges 28 in one position will align the door frame 11 for use in a plaster wall construction, and by rotating through 180 the spacing gauges 28 and removing the adapter strips 26, the door frame may be aligned for use in a thinner dry wall construction..

After the door frame 11 has been completely installed in the doorway, the temporary sill 22 is cut in half by a bevel cut, and by lifting the free portion thereof, the ends are pivoted from under the door jambs 18 and 19, detach- 25 ing the temporary sill 22 from the jambs 18 and 19 permitting the finished floor to be laid directly under the jambs 18 and 19.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that minor modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A prefabricated combination door and door frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel substantially rectangular door jambs, a header extending between the upper ends of said jambs and secured thereto, a temporary sill, said sill having the lower opposite end edges thereof arcuately truncated, said sill having the upper opposite end edges rabbeted with the lower ends of said door jambs engaging said rabbeted ends, means securing said temporary sill to said door jambs, a door hingedly secured to one of said door jambs, means supporting said doorbetween said door jambs for shipment, and spacing wedges secured to the outer faces of said door jambs, said temporary sill facing the lower ends of said door jambs for shipment and supporting said door jambs during installation of said frame, said arcuately truncated lower ends of said sill permitting said sill to be swung from beneath said door jambs after being cut in two.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,489,029 Guerrant Nov. 22, 1949 2,651,814 Lester Sept. 15, 1953 2,711,564 Jackson June 28, 1955 

